I grew up knowing two things made me feel most alive: moving my body and cooking food. For a long time they lived separately. Joy was born as a way to bring them together.

My name is Autumn, the founder of Joy. I'm a yoga teacher, a chef, a lover of hosting people, bringing people together, organising events, and good conversations.

I grew up with a deep curiosity about food. As a child I was always experimenting in the kitchen, cooking for my family, questioning where our food comes from, and at age 9 digging my own vegetable patch in my parents' garden. That curiosity never left. I wanted to understand what it means to nourish yourself and others well, and at the same time eat in a way that's sustainable for the planet. Food, I came to understand, is fundamental. Humans will always need to eat, and how we grow, source and eat our food sits at the heart of both the climate crisis and human health. It's the base of all life.

Yoga came into my life later. It taught me to slow down, to listen, to come back to my body when the world felt like too much. The world moves at a rapid pace, and yoga offers a moment to reconnect with my body, my breath, and the present moment, and to move forward from there.

To me, food, movement, and connection are a recipe for joy. Hence the name. Joy is my umbrella brand where all my projects live, a space to support people in connecting to themselves, each other, and the planet, through events, retreats, books, and more.